Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until softened. Stir in the sliced mushrooms and the oregano, basil, and parsley. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Add the ham pieces and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes.

Pour in the heavy cream and bring to a boil. Slowly stir in the spaghetti sauce and crushed red pepper blending it into the cream. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced by a third and is thick.

Most Helpful Positive Review

Mar 15, 2004

I just finished making this dish and wow, it was great. I was worried that it would be a little bland but once the sauce simmered down it was just right. We're garlic lovers in our family so I added one more clove,I also added 1/2 a chopped green pepper. I cut back on the butter and used 3/4 cup 10% cream and 3/4 cup milk to cut back the fat content of the recipe. It was still great and the sauce was thick enough. I think next time I might add a little parmesan or mozzerella cheese to it just before taking the sauce off the stove.

Most Helpful Critical Review

Mar 10, 2008

I am revising my original rating of this recipe. I gave it 3 stars the first time, and I followed the directions perfectly. The quantity of spices is too much! They were overwhelming! I re-made it last week, and with the changes I made, changed my rating to 5 stars. Here's what I did differently: I only used a half teaspoon of the oregano and basil. I used fresh parsley, so keep the measure the same. I purchase Fanestil Party Ham that the butcher sliced thin for me, and I coarsely chopped it. I only used 1 cup cream. It was SO good! My company thought it tasted just like a dish served at a local Italian restaurant here in town.

Excellent recipe!! The only change I made was to substitute 1/2 cup lite sour cream and 1/2 cup half and half for the 1 1/2 heavy cream. The sour cream adds a little zip and the combo is healthier. I also used fresh basil and parsley, which I had on hand. Fantastic!

This was wonderful! My husband had a funny look when he saw what I was making for dinner, but after trying it he wants it again! He's even going to take the recipe to work at the firestation for the guys to try! I was trying to use up what I had on hand, so I had a few substitutions. Instead of fresh mushrooms I used canned, used penne pasta in place of fettucine, and plain evaporated milk for the cream. It was still wonderful. I can only imagine if I had actually used fresh mushrooms and real cream!

Wonderful!! I used 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/2 cup milk, used a garden style spaghetti sauce (with mushrooms and green peppers) and 1 1/2 tsp of oregano, parsely and basil. I also spinkled mozerella cheese over each bowl. We loved this! Next time, the recipe will be doubled and in addition to the ham, I will add some cooked, cubed chicken, some shrimp and perhaps even some sun-dried tomatoes. THANKS Chris and Carolyn!

This is a hearty sauce and a great way to use leftover ham. In my non-stick sauce pot, I saute the ham (2 cups diced)first to render a lot of the fat then I drain off most of the fat and saute the onions and garlic. Then I use 2 cups of Pasta sauce, 1 cup half-n half and 1 cup skim milk. Just these modifications alone will cut your calories almost in half.

We had company when I made this and they and I thought it was good, but too spicy. My husband, who loves spicy foods thought it was great. Next time, and there will be a next time, I'll use just 1/4 ts. of crushed red pepper instead of a whole one. We cut the mushrooms smallish, which seemed to work nicely. I used leftover ham instead of deli slices and kind of julienned it but smaller and the pieces was too big. The ham and mushrooms really need to diced or they don't work well with the pasta. I also put diced tomatoes on top of the sauce after everything was dished up.
Overall, great dish. Fairly easy to make, a little longer prep and cooking time than what is listed. I will definitely be making this again, just with less crushed red pepper.

This is the first ham recipe that I've found that doesn't taste like an excuse to use up leftovers. It is fabulous. Some of my guests have found it too spicy, but that's how my family loves it. The flavors are so unique together. This favorite freezes very well!

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.